


Indweller

by Misanagi



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Captivity, Drama, Fantasy, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-02
Updated: 2010-04-02
Packaged: 2017-10-08 15:17:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misanagi/pseuds/Misanagi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten days can be enough to change the fate of a kingdom. Can they also change the lives of two men?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lil_1337](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/gifts).



> Written for the Whumped!Quatre Ficathon, filling [](http://lil-1337.livejournal.com/profile)[**lil_1337**](http://lil-1337.livejournal.com/)'s request. *hugs Lil* I hope that you like it.
> 
> Thanks to Anne for the beta.

**Day One**

The dungeon wasn't a nice place. Trowa Barton had known that even before he had walked into the castle, but that didn't mean that he was prepared to see the dark and humid cells, or the people wasting away inside them. Maybe that was why Trowa had been avoiding taking the dungeon shift for so long, that and the fear of meeting a familiar face and knowing there was nothing he could do to help them. He was good at his job, he knew he wouldn't be recognized unless he wanted to, but that didn't make the visit to the dungeon any less bitter.

He concentrated on searching the dungeon as thoroughly as he could without blowing his cover. After all, a castle guard had to preserve certain composure. However, Trowa knew very well that if he was found out he would be a guest of the dungeon instead of a guard, and he wanted to be sure that he knew every possible escape route in case that happened.

Today was exactly a month since Trowa had begun the undercover assignment. A month working in the palace, of seeing first hand the atrocities that went on there, gathering information, lots of information that, so far, had been useless. He missed his sister and his friends. The only one he had been able to see was Duo, and those were short meetings when Duo came to the castle to bring supplies. They couldn't risk talking so Trowa only made a discrete gesture to let Duo know that he hadn't found anything useful yet, and that he should come back in another ten days. Duo would be back tomorrow, and again, Trowa had nothing to report.

It was getting very frustrating. Of course he knew that he wouldn't be able to find a way to defeat the Sorceress easily, but he had at least hoped to find something, a lead, anything. He was starting to think that the kingdom was running out of time. The King was declaring even more oppressive laws and raising the taxes again. The people didn't have enough to eat and with the new laws even more would starve to death on the streets. It was all the work of the Sorceress. She had poisoned the King's mind, controlling him like a puppet for her own amusement. Trowa remembered the day Princess Relena had been cast out of the castle and then had stood in the middle of the town's square to declare that it wasn't her brother who had done that to her, that it was Lady Dorothy, who was controlling him.

The people had believed her. The Princess was rumored to have the ability to see into a person's soul and she never lied about what she saw. King Milliardo had been a fair ruler until Lady Dorothy had entered the castle for the first time. The changes in the King had been subtle at first. He stopped taking a ride through the countryside every day like he used to, and suspended the public audiences that were held every Thursday in court. Things had turned for the worst after the wedding. No one called Lady Dorothy 'Queen'. The people didn't recognize the union and for them the only title Lady Dorothy deserved was Sorceress. It had been more than a year since the Sorceress had taken complete control over the King and kingdom, and since then many had tried to stop her. None had survived. She was very powerful and ruled the court with fear. Other magic users had tried to go up against her, and she had destroyed them all.

Fighting the Sorceress seemed to be a hopeless endeavor but the people hadn't given up. Trowa was determined to find her weakness. Everyone had one and if he was able to find hers, then there still was hope for the people of Sank.

Trowa leaned against the wall. He still had a lot of the palace to explore, and he hadn't found a way into the Sorceress' rooms. Her deepest secrets were probably there, but that made her rooms the best guarded in the whole castle.

The sound of soft footsteps reached Trowa's ears. He pressed himself to the wall as much as he could, letting the shadows cover him. He swallowed a gasp when, moments later, the Sorceress walked by him. She was walking straight to a dead end corridor.

Soundlessly, Trowa followed her. He was a great spy, and no one could hide in the shadows like Trowa could. He had the ability to stand in spots no one would think to look at, to almost disappear while he was still in plain view. Whatever magic allowed him to do that, also allowed him to shield his thoughts. No one could find him, even if they tried to read his mind. Heero was good at reading thoughts, and he had told Trowa once that when he shielded his thoughts it was almost as if he ceased to exist.

Trowa watched as the Sorceress reached the end of the corridor and then pressed one of the stones. Immediately a hidden door slid up, revealing a long corridor, lit only with one torch. Most of the corridor was hidden by the shadows, but as the Sorceress moved inside it, the torch traveled with her, lighting her path. Trowa kept his distance and his steps silent as he followed the Sorceress.

At the end of the corridor there was a single wooden door. It was carved with some sort of symbols and decorated with a crystal Trowa had never seen before. A heavy lock kept the door shut. The Sorceress retrieved a key from a golden chain around her neck and opened the door.

It was a small room, illuminated by a single candle. There was a torn mattress on the floor, and sitting on it was a young man about Trowa's age. He didn't look dirty and ill like all the other prisoners in the dungeon but there was something about him that reflected an immense sadness. The door was shut before Trowa could see anything else.

He waited in the corridor. It would have been safer to leave and come back to investigate the strange room later but Trowa couldn't bring himself to do that. He needed to stay, but he didn't know why yet. He could hear voices inside. The Sorceress was talking with the man but Trowa couldn't distinguish any words.

Suddenly, a bright glow could be seen surrounding the door, as if a gigantic fire was burning inside, and then, after a moment, it disappeared. Trowa didn't have time to think about what had happened because the door opened and the Sorceress walked out. She had a white crystal in her hands. The crystal was round and the size of a human head, and appeared to be glowing with a blue light. She was looking at it and smiling, an evil smile that Trowa was sure would give him nightmares for some time.

Trowa pressed himself to the wall and held his breath. The door closed behind the Sorceress, and she replaced the lock before walking down the corridor. Only after he heard the sound of the hidden door closing, Trowa let out a sigh. The torch apparently only followed the Sorceress because it had gone back with her to the corridor's entrance and had stayed there. Trowa could see the faint glow in the distance but the light was too far away to be any help to him. However, Trowa had no intention of leaving. He was determined to discover who was behind the door and why the Sorceress kept him prisoner.

Using his hands to guide himself, Trowa walked to the door and felt around for the lock. He didn't have Duo's natural ability to open closed locks just by touching them, but he could pick them, even if he had no light to see. It took him more time than usual but eventually Trowa managed to get the door open.

The single candle was still glowing, and now, Trowa could get a better look at the small room and its occupant. The torn mattress on the floor was the only furniture, but there were other small things that no other cell in the dungeon had: a large basin with clean water, a tray with food, five books and a blanket.

Trowa closed the door behind him and retrieved the blanket from the floor. The young man was lying on the mattress, his back turned to Trowa, and shivering. Trowa approached carefully, He didn't know if the captive was dangerous or why was he being held there, but Trowa wasn't about to let him get cold.

"I won't harm you."

The captive didn't move or turn to look at Trowa. In fact, he didn't acknowledge him in any way. Trowa crouched and put his hand on the other man's back. Again, there was no reaction. The man seemed to be unconscious and wasn't responding. Carefully, Trowa turned the captive around to lie on his back, so he could get a better look at him.

The man's eyes were closed, he was still shaking, but his breathing was even. There was a silver collar around his neck and a chain was attached to it and hooked to one of the walls. Trowa didn't understand why he hadn't seen it before. He ran his fingers softly over the collar. It felt cool to the touch and smooth. There didn't seem to be a lock. It had probably been magically sealed.

Then, Trowa noticed something from the corned of his eye. There were some small red spots on the floor and on the mattress. It was blood, and it was leaking from the captive's hand. Gently, Trowa took the hand in his. There was a long diagonal cut that ran from the index finger to the wrist and the skin on the sides seemed to be scarred, as it was an old would that was being opened again and again.

Getting up, Trowa walked to the basin. He took the small cup beside it and filled it with water. The wound would have to be cleaned or it could get infected and right now the captive wasn't in any shape to do it himself. There didn't seem to be any type of bandages around so Trowa tore a strip of his undershirt – it wouldn't be wise to tear his uniform – and after wetting it, used it to clean the wound. The cut wasn't too deep and, after Trowa bandaged it, the bleeding stopped.

Knowing that he couldn't stay there any longer, Trowa covered the man with the blanket and walked to the door. Before leaving, he gave the man one last look. 'Who are you?'

* * *

**Day Two**

When Duo came in the morning with the castle supplies, Trowa managed to give him a discreet signal to let him and his friends know that he had a lead. It could be something or it could be nothing but it was more than anything Trowa had found before. Duo grinned and left. He would be back in another ten days.

Trowa did his shift, standing in the main corridor, guarding the palace. As usual, nothing happened. No one dared to attack the palace anymore. Not since the Sorceress had defeated one hundred men in less than an hour. That had been the first and the last open rebellion. Hopefully, taking down the Sorceress would not require any more people to give up their lives. Trowa didn't know why, but he felt confident that the strange man locked in the secret passage was an important key in defeating the Sorceress.

The moment his shift ended, Trowa headed down to the dungeon. He opened the secret passage, as the Sorceress had done the day before, and walked into the corridor. Like yesterday, the torch stayed in its place by the door while Trowa walked into the darkness. Forty-two steps from door to door.

To keep appearances, Trowa had locked the door again. Picking it didn't take long. The soft light of the candle distracted him for a moment, and then he heard a voice.

"Who are you?"

Trowa blinked, focusing his vision. The young man was still on the mattress, but he was awake now. He was leaning on the wall, still looking pale and looking at Trowa through half closed eyes.

Without moving his eyes away from the man, Trowa entered the room and closed the door behind him. He took a couple of hesitant steps inside, but stopped before he could get too close to the captive.

The man looked at his bandaged hand and then at Trowa. "You did this?"

Trowa nodded. "You were bleeding."

Putting the hand on his lap, the captive whispered, "Dorothy doesn't know you are here, does she? If she finds you, she'll kill you."

No one called the Sorceress by her given name. People addressed her as Lady Dorothy out of fear, but the man had said the name so casually, as if he didn't fear her at all. "Who are you?" Trowa asked.

The man didn't answer and instead asked, "Would you do me a favor?" After Trowa nodded he continued. "There's a tray with food at that corner and a basin with water. Could you please fill a cup and hand me the tray? I'm afraid I'm not strong enough to get it myself yet."

Spotting the tray in the corner, Trowa did as he had been asked. He kneeled beside the mattress to place the tray on the captive's lap. The man smiled. "Thank you," he said.

The man ate silently and slowly. Handling the utensils seemed to be difficult for him and he often stopped eating to take deep breaths. As he ate, more color seemed to return to his face and by the time he was done, his eyes were fully opened, instead of half closed as they had been.

"Dorothy won't come back for another eight days," said the captive, placing the tray beside the mattress. Immediately the tray disappeared. "You need to leave the palace before then."

Trowa shook his head. "What do you mean?"

"She'll know you were here and she'll kill you." The captive sighed. "You helped me and I don't want you to die for it."

"Why are you here?" Trowa looked at the long chain attached to the collar on the man's neck. "Why are you bound like this?"

"It's been so long since I've seen anyone other than Dorothy." The captive moved his hand slowly, letting it rest on top of Trowa's. Trowa just looked, unable to pull away. "It's good to hear another voice." He smiled and Trowa saw how the sadness disappeared for a moment. "Thank you." The man lay down on the mattress and closed his eyes. "It was nice, even if it was only a dream."

Not really knowing what to do or say, Trowa only caressed the man's hand and whispered, "at least tell me your name."

The words were mumbled and soft even though Trowa heard them clearly. But it was impossible. Quatre Raberba Winner was dead.

* * *

**Day Three**

Trowa stood in the east tower, staring down at the city. It looked beautiful. He was too far up to notice the children crying in the streets because they were hungry, or the Sorceress' soldiers destroying people's homes while supposedly looking for rebels. From this height, the city was just a collection of houses and streets and the people were invisible. Maybe that was why the King could sleep soundly at night; he was completely blind to what was happening to the city he'd once loved.

Far in the horizon Trowa could see the mountains and the huge house on top of one of the hills. It had been the Winner house before, but it was empty now. The Winners had lived in the mountain village. Their house was huge because the family was very large but also because they gave shelter to anyone who needed for as long as it was necessary. The few villagers that had come to the city after the Winners left, told that there were never less than one hundred people in the Winner home, and they were all treated as if they were Winners themselves.

It was the death of the Winner heir that changed it all, not just for the mountain village but for the whole kingdom as well. Quatre Raberba Winner was the first person executed by the Sorceress. As many other nobles, Quatre had been commanded to assist the wedding. The wedding festivities had lasted three days, and on the night of the third the Sorceress had announced that the Winner heir had tried to assassinate her and had been executed for his treason to the kingdom.

The Winners had accused the Sorceress of lying, and as a result she refused to return the body and burnt it. That's when the Winners had packed up and left. They refused to live under the Sorceress' rule and headed to the desert where they had family. The villagers were encouraged to go with them and most did. The few that didn't came to the city, maybe hoping that things would change someday.

If the captive truly was who he claimed to be, then he had been locked in that room for a little over a year. Why would the Sorceress hold Quatre and not kill him? Was there something she needed from him? Was she in love with him? Trowa shook his head. The Sorceress wasn't capable of love.

He spent his shift looking at the mountains and imagining Quatre there. If he really was the Winner heir, he would have grown up in the hills. The children of the villagers always told stories of the forests, the threes and how things were green and beautiful in the hills. They liked to play make believe games, imagining that they were back in the mountains playing, instead of in the cold dirty city. Trowa used to listen to them; they gave him hope.

After his replacement arrived at the tower, Trowa headed quickly to the servant's kitchen and grabbed his ration of bread before heading to the dungeon. He hadn't bothered to replace the lock yesterday. He had believed Quatre when he'd said that the Sorceress wouldn't come. He was about to open the door, but instead knocked on it and waited.

There was no reply so Trowa knocked again. He was about to knock for the third time when a voice said, "who's there?"

Trowa opened the door a little, but stayed outside the room, giving Quatre the chance to look at him. As before, a candle illuminated the room and Quatre was sitting on the mattress, a book in his had. Quatre gasped when he saw Trowa and whispered, "Maybe you are not a dream."

"Can I come in?" asked Trowa.

"Um... yes." Quatre closed the book on his lap and put it beside him.

Trowa walked inside, shut the door and moved closer to Quatre. He sat down in front of Quatre and waited.

Quatre moved a hand towards Trowa, tentatively, as if he was expecting to encounter nothing but air. When Quatre's fingers touched Trowa's arm, Quatre smiled. "You _are_ real."

Trowa couldn't help but return the smile. "How are you today?" he asked.

"Less tired," replied Quatre. "I can stand up now but I get dizzy if I'm on my feet too long. I'll be fine in a couple of days."

"What happened to you?"

Quatre shook his head slowly. "You are the first person other than Dorothy that I've seen in so long, and I don't even know your name, or how you found me." He took his hand away from Trowa's arm. "I guess I should start. My name is Quatre and I'm a prisoner. Who are you?"

Trowa wanted to inquire more but he knew that he had to give some information about himself before Quatre trusted him enough to say much more. "I am Trowa, and I'm a guard."

"No, you are not." Quatre's voice was soft. "That's what you are pretending to be, not who you are."

"Are you a psychic?" Trowa's voice was defensive. No one had ever been able to see through his masks before.

"I'm an empath," replied Quatre, his voice still soft, "but I can't read you right now." He gestured with his hand to the collar around his neck. "This prevents me from doing anything magical."

Empathy was a common ability. Many people had it but it wasn't very useful. Getting a weak sense of someone's feelings was considered little more than good intuition and it certainly wasn't a dangerous ability. There was no reason to restrain an empath like this. "Is that all you are? An empath?"

Quatre laughed. It didn't last long and it was a bitter laugh. "Those were the first words Dorothy said to me. Maybe things wouldn't be like this if…" He trailed of and made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "There's no use in asking what ifs. So, Trowa, who are you?"

Deciding to take the risk, Trowa said, "I'm a rebel. I'm here trying to find a way to defeat the Sorceress."

"Yes," Quatre nodded. "That's why you are in the palace. But why are you _here_?"

"I saw the Sorceress in the dungeon two days ago and decided to follow her. She led me here. Why are _you_ here, Quatre."

Quatre sighed. "I'm here because Dorothy needs me. She knew I would never help her so she found a way to get what she needed without my cooperation."

"What would the Sorceress need from an empath? A Sorceress who is powerful enough to make the King do as she wishes, to defeat a hundred men and kill every single person who has opposed her." Trowa was getting frustrated. Quatre, if that was really his name, was speaking in riddles.

"Dorothy is very skilled in handling raw magic, she has always been. However, she's not a very good psychic. She can do some basic tricks like reading extremely clear thoughts or knowing when someone's lying, but nothing else." Quatre looked up at the ceiling. "She always wanted to be queen. I thought that she would grow out of it but it became an obsession. When she left for court I knew she would try to get the King's attention, I just never thought she would go to such extremes."

Trowa's eyes were as wide as plates. "You knew the Sorceress before she came to court."

"We studied together under the same teacher. She was the only other student there and my only friend for five years."

It wasn't unusual for children with high magical abilities to go study with a teacher. Most teachers wouldn't bother with someone who wasn't skillful enough and wouldn't take more than one or two pupils at a time. Magic was common and everyone had it in some degree. Those who had enough to actually be allowed to study were regarded very highly. "Empaths don't have that kind of power."

Quatre nodded. "Most empaths don't. That's why Dorothy thought I was beneath her."

"You never answered. What does she need from you?"

"I'm sorry." Quatre smiled sheepishly. "I let myself get lost in memories. Dorothy only comes here for what she needs and to gloat about her accomplishments. It's been a while since I had a real conversation." He took a sip from a cup of water that was beside the mattress. "By the time Dorothy arrived at the palace, King Milliardo was already in love."

"Lady Lucrezia Noin." Trowa said. Lady Lucrezia had been expelled from the palace before the wedding. No one knew exactly where she was now, but it was rumored that Princess Relena had gone to her after she too had been expelled, and that they were the ones really organizing the resistance.

"Instead of giving up, Dorothy gave the King a love potion, and while the King was under its influence, Dorothy convinced him to make Lady Lucrezia leave."

"The Sorceress can't control the King just with a love potion," said Trowa. Kings were born with very strong wills and they weren't easy to break. It was part of their magic. A love potion could work on a commoner, not a King.

"From then until the wedding, Dorothy gave the King many different potions to keep him infatuated with her. However, the King was building a resistance to her potions and it wouldn't be long before they proved ineffective." Quatre gave Trowa a sad look. "The wedding was also a scheme to bring me to the palace."

Trowa shook his head. "Quatre Raberba Winner died at the wedding. He was executed for trying to kill the Sorceress."

"That's a lie." Quatre looked at Trowa. "I can't prove who I am. I can only give you my word. It's up to you to believe it."

"I believe you." The words left Trowa's mouth before he could think them through. There was no reason for him to believe what Quatre was saying, but he did anyway. "Please, continue."

This time Quatre's smile wasn't sad. It felt real, as if he was truly happy that Trowa believed his words. "As a noble, I couldn't refuse the invitation. I came to the palace knowing that Dorothy was up to something, but that didn't help me prevent it. She put something in my drink and when I woke up I was here, and this thing," he glared at the chain, "was around my neck."

"Why?"

"I'm a very powerful empath, Trowa. Regular empaths can only get a sense of what others are feeling. I can feel their emotions as if they were my own, and in addition I can make them feel things too."

Trowa glared. Projective empathy was a myth. No one had even heard of someone with that type of ability. Not even strong telepaths could make people feel things. Talking in someone's head was one thing but making people feel emotions that weren't theirs wasn't possible. If that kind of power existed, then people could be controlled like puppets, like… like the Sorceress controlled the King. Trowa moved back. "You are responsible for what's happened to the kingdom?"

Quatre lowered his eyes. "Yes." He was silent for a moment and then he looked at Trowa in the eyes. "You said you came looking for a way to stop the Sorceress. If you really want the King to break out of her hold, then kill me." There was no fear reflected in Quatre's eyes. "Kill me and the kingdom will be free."

Trowa stood up and his hand moved for his sword. Quatre noticed, smiled, and lowered his head, waiting for the blow. Instead of the sword, Trowa took out a small dagger and dropped it on the floor at Quatre's feet. "Do it yourself," he said, and left the room, not looking back.

* * *

**Day Four**

Trowa couldn't sleep that night and spent the whole time guarding the south garden, thinking of Quatre. He had seemed so determined, so sure when he had asked Trowa to kill him. Trowa didn't want to contemplate the possibility, but maybe Quatre had gone through with it.

Quatre had seemed like a nice person and Trowa had immediately taken a liking to him. Learning that he was the one responsible for the Sorceress' control over the King had made Trowa furious. He felt betrayed. It made no sense; he didn't know Quatre, so why would he feel like he just lost a friend? Still, he hadn't been able to kill him and now he kept hoping that Quatre hadn't taken his own life.

A question kept repeating in Trowa's head. If Quatre was helping the Sorceress then why was he locked in that room? It was certainly better than the cells in the dungeon but it was still a prison. Quatre couldn't leave; he was trapped there and had been for a year, completely isolated from the world, except for the Sorceress' visits. He was chained to the wall, a chain that prevented him from doing any magic.

Trowa almost dropped the sword in his hand with the realization. If the chain didn't let Quatre use his empathy, then how was he controlling the King?

He didn't even stop for food this time and just ran to the dungeon as soon as his shift was over. He slammed the door of Quatre's cell open and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the other man sitting on the mattress, eating, with the dagger beside him on the floor.

"If you hadn't run out yesterday," said Quatre, "I would have told you that I can't take my own life. Dorothy made a binding spell after I tried to starve to death."

There were many different things Trowa wanted to ask Quatre but the first question that came to his mind was, "Who brings the food?"

"Dorothy made a spell. The tray fills itself every time I put it on the floor. It always reappears filled in the corner. The same happens with the water in the basin." He put the tray in the floor and it reappeared filled in the corner. "Dorothy can't afford for me to die."

"Why do you want to die?"

Quatre stood up and walked to the corner. He picked up the tray and brought it to Trowa. "Sit down and eat. You look hungry."

Trowa didn't take the tray. "Answer me."

"I will" Quatre said, "if you eat."

Trowa sat down on the mattress, his back to the wall, and took the tray. Quatre remained standing, leaning on the far wall. "Shouldn't you sit?" Trowa asked.

"I have some energy today," Quatre said, but then he let himself slide down the wall, and sat on the floor. "I guess I'll need it if you want me to explain."

"Why do you want to die?" Trowa repeated.

"I don't." Quatre looked around the room. "I can't leave this place, and as long as I'm here Dorothy will continue ruling the kingdom. I'd rather die than be responsible of more deaths."

"How are you responsible? I thought you said you couldn't read me with that collar."

"I can't. This thing seals my magic. I can't do anything, I can't feel anyone." The last words sounded almost desperate. Heero had once told Trowa that the whispers in his head didn't bother him because he had always heard them. Heero couldn't imagine not hearing them; it would be as if the world was empty. Trowa wondered if Quatre felt the same, how lonely it must be to be trapped not only physically but also mentally.

"I don't understand. If you can't use your empathy then how are you responsible?"

"I can't use it, but Dorothy can." Quatre looked down at his hands. "She performs a ritual that drains me from my magic, transforming it to a crystal. She makes a potion with it and gives it to the King every night. That's how she controls him." He shifted his eyes to the dagger in the mattress. "If I'm dead, she can't make the potion and the King will be free." Quatre shrugged. "It's the only way."

Trowa had barely eaten but he put the tray on the floor and went to sit beside Quatre. "That's not the only way. I'll get you out of here."

Quatre smiled that sad smile Trowa had come to know. "Don't you think I've tried to escape?" He took Trowa's hand and guided it to the collar around his neck. "It has no lock." Trowa had already noticed that. The steal was smooth, a single piece. "I can't even get close to the door," Quatre continued. "The only time I touched it I passed out from the pain. I'm not sealed in the room by the chain to the wall or the lock in the door. Dorothy used my blood to seal me in magically."

Trowa moved his hand to Quatre's cheek. "I won't kill you."

Quatre sighed. "You should."

They didn't speak again. Trowa stayed by Quatre's side, leaving only when Quatre had finally closed his eyes and fallen asleep. Before he left, Trowa moved Quatre to the mattress, put the blanket over him and ran his hands through Quatre's hair.

Trowa dreamed of Quatre that night.

* * *

**Day Five**

"Is there a way to stop the Sorceress from performing the ritual?" Trowa asked. He had come to visit Quatre as soon as he was done for the day.

"I can't use magic," Quatre answered. "Once I tried to fight her but she just used a spell to immobilize me." Quatre glared at the chain. "I can't defend myself."

Trowa remembered the wound in Quatre's hand, and how it seemed to have been reopened several times. "What does she do, exactly? How does the ritual work?"

Quatre moved his eyes away from Trowa and looked at the wall in front of him. "She needs my blood to initiate it." He showed Trowa his right hand. The bandage wasn't there anymore and the wound seemed to be healing. "It's not deep. It doesn't hurt much. She drips the blood on a stone and says an enchantment." A shrug. "That's it. The magic is drained out of me and into the stone, transforming it to a crystal."

"That's why you were unconscious." Magic was integral to a person. The more they had the more they depended on it. For someone as powerful as Quatre being drained of his magic must be like being drained of his life force. "Does it hurt?"

Quatre's hand moved over his chest. He took a deep breath and then said, "It's not pleasant. I should be used to it by now…" Quatre didn't need to finish the sentence for Trowa to understand.

"How often?" Trowa asked.

"Every ten days without a fault." Quatre put his hand back on his lap. "That's how long it takes me to get my strength back."

Trowa didn't want to calculate how many times Quatre had bared the ritual. He only knew that he didn't want there to be another one. "I'll need to get you out before then. We have five days."

Quatre lowered his eyes. It was something he did every time he said something he didn't want to. "You should just leave. It's dangerous for you to stay here. She will kill you if she finds out you know about me."

With a glare, Trowa said. "I won't leave without you."

"You don't even know me." This time Quatre looked at him. "Why do you care so much?"

Trowa didn't know. He had known Quatre only for five days but that had been enough for Trowa to think of him as a friend. "I don't abandon my friends."

Quatre smiled. "Friends. I like that."

"I won't visit you tomorrow," Trowa said. Thinking of friends had given him an idea. "I have some friends in the city. I'll go to them tomorrow. I'm sure they'll be able to help us." He didn't know when he had started to think of Quatre's captivity as their problem, but it was, and they would solve it together.

"I'll miss you." Quatre said. "Just be careful, Trowa." He frowned. "You never told me your last name."

"It's Barton."

A smile appeared on Quatre's face. "Come back to me, Trowa Barton. I'll be waiting."


	2. Chapter 2

**Day Six**

It wasn't strange for guards to go outside the palace on their free nights. There was a tavern near the palace and it was the favorite place for guards to visit. They served alcohol at reasonable prices and there was an inn beside it where the guards could take the waitresses or any willing woman.

Trowa didn't particularly like the place. In fact, this was the first time he had visited it while posing as a guard. He got preferential treatment. After all, palace guards were feared and people preferred to give them everything they wanted rather than face the possible consequences.

After just a couple of beers, Trowa took the arm of a waitress and sat her in his lap. The guards around him gave him encouraging looks and cheered him out loud when he and the waitress left the tavern and headed for the inn. The moment Trowa closed the room's door, the waitress slapped him.

"Trowa Barton, if you had been anyone else I would have ripped your balls off for touching me without my permission!"

Wincing a little, Trowa massaged his sore cheek. "I'm sorry, Hilde. I needed to make a good show."

Hilde rolled her eyes and sat on the only chair in the room. "This better be good. You know it's risky for you to contact us directly."

"It's an emergency." Trowa headed for the window. "Would you cover for me?"

With a smile, Hilde waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Don't I always?"

Trowa nodded and climbed out the window. He jumped two stories down and managed to land on his feet. Then he moved quickly through the familiar city streets, keeping to the shadows, and finally knocking on a wooden door. Another knock answered from inside and Trowa knocked three times slowly. The door opened and he was pulled inside quickly, before the door was closed again.

"What the hell are you doing here!?"

"Nice to see you too, Duo." Trowa smirked. He had missed talking to his friends and the house they all shared. It was good to be home, if only for a little while.

"Are you okay?" Duo walked to Trowa, looking at him carefully. "Did they discover you?"

"Duo, I'm fine." Trowa walked to the small dinning table and sat down on his chair. "Where are Heero and Wufei? We need to talk."

"We are here," said Wufei. He and Heero were walking out of the adjourning room. They moved to the table and took their seats. "What's your cover?"

"Hilde is covering for me."

Duo nodded and joined them at the table. "We are all here, Trowa. Spill."

Trowa took a breath and said, "I think I found a way to defeat the Sorceress."

Silence.

The others just stared at Trowa, managing only to blink. Finally, after a while, Duo asked, "What!?"

"I found out how she's controlling the King," explained Trowa. "She's keeping a powerful empath captive and she's taking the empath's magic and using it to make a potion."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "An empath capable of controlling people? That's a thing from legends."

"Does the name Quatre Raberba Winner means anything to you?" Trowa asked simply.

"Everyone knows who he was," said Duo, rolling his eyes. "Where are you going with this?"

Trowa smirked. "He's the empath. He's alive."

Once again the only reply was silence.

"He's trapped in a room, with a collar around his neck that prevents him from using his magic," explained Trowa. "If we get him out the Sorceress won't be able to control the King anymore."

After a moment Wufei asked, not questioning the veracity of Trowa's statements, "She's taking his magic away? How?"

"A ritual draining him from his magic and pouring it into a stone, crystallizing it." Trowa winced remembering the state Quatre had been in the first time he'd seen him. "It leaves him unconscious and quite weak for a few days."

Wufei winced too. "It must feel like he's being ripped apart." He looked at Duo and Heero and finally at Trowa. "We need to help him."

Duo spoke softly. "If he's Quatre Winner, he has been there for a very long time." He clenched his fists. "We need to take the Sorceress down."

Heero nodded. "Tell us about his restraints."

Trowa smiled, relieved that his friends had believed him and were willing to help. It showed that they trusted his judgment, even when Quatre's story was difficult to accept. "There's a collar around his neck and attached to the wall. It doesn't have a lock. Besides that, the door is charmed. The lock is pretty easy to open but Quatre says the only time he got close enough to touch it, he passed out from the pain."

"Magically sealed," said Wufei, thoughtfully. "If you manage to destroy the door he should be able to leave the cell. The collar seems more complicated."

"We need to find a way to cut it open." Duo was taping his fingers on the table. "I might be able to enchant a blade, and it would hopefully cut through the spell."

"No." Heero glared at Duo. "The last time you tried something like that you were unconscious for a week."

Duo shrugged. "But it worked." Then he smiled and placed a hand on top of Heero's. "This could bring the Sorceress down." The smile turned to a wink. "I'll make it up to you afterwards."

They looked at each other for a while before Heero nodded. "You better be right about this, Barton."

"Go back to the palace," Duo said to Trowa, ignoring Heero's warning. "We'll find a way to get it to you before the Sorceress' visit."

"Meanwhile, remove the door," added Wufei.

Trowa stood up. "Thank you," he said before he left.

* * *

**Day Seven**

"You were reading that same book last time," said Trowa when he entered Quatre's cell.

Quatre closed the book and placed it on the floor on top of the other four he had. "I can recite the words. Dorothy was kind enough to allow me these books but I finished them long ago."

Trowa frowned. "Kind enough? There's nothing kind about what the Sorceress has done to you."

Quatre stood up, the chain making a jingly sound as it was moved. "It could be worse."

Not wanting to think how worse it could be, Trowa simply placed the small axe he had brought on the floor and took off his uniform jacket.

"What exactly are you doing?" asked Quatre.

"I'm taking that door down." Trowa lifted the axe and walked to the door. The door was made of strong wood and it was attached to the wall by long steel screws. Using all his strength, Trowa hit the wood beside the screws with the axe. It made a dull sound. Trowa hoped it wouldn't be heard in the dungeon or that at least there wouldn't be a guard close by to notice the noise.

Trowa hit the door again and again, concentrating in hitting the same spot always. By the time the top half of the door was detached from the wall, he had forgotten that Quatre was there. However, a few moments later there was a hand in front of him holding a cup of water. When Trowa took it he noticed that the hand holding the cup was shaking. He turned around to see Quatre with his lips pressed on a thin line, shivering and taking deep breaths.

The axe fell to the floor. Trowa put an arm around Quatre's waist and forced him to take a few steps back. Quatre visibly relaxed and gave Trowa a small smile. "It's okay," Quatre said. "I'm fine now."

Not very convinced, Trowa made Quatre sit on the mattress and sat beside him, the cup still in his hand. "Why did you get so close to the door?"

"I tried calling you but you didn't hear me over the noise." Quatre smiled again. "You looked tired and thirsty."

"Thank you," Trowa said. He brought the cup slowly to his lips and drank, allowing himself a moment to rest. His next shift was in the morning so he could stay all night in Quatre's cell if he wanted to. The room was small and depressing. The everlasting single candle didn't provide much light; there was no windows and nothing to look at but the same four bare walls. Still, Trowa found himself thinking that he'd rather stay the night there than go back to the barracks.

When the cup was empty, Trowa stood up and went back to work. He wasn't sure how much time it took but eventually the door cracked and fell to the floor with a loud thud. Trowa looked around, trying to find a place to put the door. The corridor wouldn't do. It was too narrow and Quatre wouldn't be able to walk close to it when the time came. He turned to the room, noticing for the first time how the mattress was placed as far away from the door as possible. The only place for the door would be the corner opposite to the basin. It would probably cause Quatre problems when he went to collect his meals but it would only be for a few days. Quatre wouldn't be there for much longer.

Bending down, Trowa lifted the door and dragged it slowly to the corner. The door was heavy and by the time he was done placing it against the wall, he was panting. Quatre got him another cup of water and Trowa didn't miss the flinch Quatre made when he walked to the basin.

"Bare with it for a couple of days," said Trowa after drinking all the water in one swig. He sat on the mattress, letting his back rest on the wall and giving his sore muscles a chance to relax. "I'll get you out. I promise."

Quatre sat in front of him and took Trowa's hands in his. He inspected the red lines on Trowa's hands and the blisters that had formed for holding the axe for so long. Using the tips of his fingers Quatre traced the lines slowly, caressing Trowa's palms. Trowa could do nothing but look. He wanted to say something but no words came; he thought he should pull his hands away but he liked Quatre's touch. Then, Quatre leaned closer to Trowa and their lips touched. Trowa closed his eyes. The kiss was soft and tender, and over too soon. When Trowa opened his eyes Quatre was sitting in front of him again, looking at Trowa's hands, still held in his.

The words came as a whisper. "Trowa, I think I'm falling in love with you."

For some reason Quatre refused to meet Trowa's eyes. This time Trowa was the one to lean closer. He pulled one of his hands away from Quatre's and used it to lift Quatre's chin. Trowa waited until Quatre's eyes were focused on him, until he was sure Quatre would hear what he had to say. "I think I'm falling in love with you too."

Trowa brought their lips together and they shared another kiss.

* * *

**Day Eight**

Trowa had left Quatre in the morning. He spent the whole time guarding the south gardens remembering. They had kissed last night. Trowa had held Quatre in his arms and touched him, letting Quatre touch him too. They had talked while they held each other. Quatre had told him about his life in the mountains, his sisters and the people in the village. Trowa had talked about his life in the city before the Sorceress. How he used to perform with his sister on the street and always got enough coins to buy food. How he had met each of his friends and how Heero and Duo had discovered they loved each other after Duo had been unconscious for a week for putting to much effort into one of his enchantments. He had spoken about Wufei and how much he missed his wife, Meiran, who had been the Princess' handmaid and had disappeared with her but still managed to send letter to Wufei every few weeks.

The kissing had led to talking and to knowing each other better. Trowa didn't remember exactly when they had fallen asleep but when he woke up, Quatre was in his arms. Trowa woke up at the same time every morning, so knowing he couldn't stay, he had shared a kiss with Quatre and left.

His muscles were still sore but Trowa ignored them. He only wished for the day to move faster so his shift would be over and he could go back to Quatre. When his replacement came he had some news to share. Apparently a rebel had caused a commotion in front of the palace doors that morning, and had been taken to the dungeon. However, before the guards could control him, he had rendered seven of them unconscious. They suspected he was one of those magic fighters, who used their magical powers in combat making them faster and stronger. Trowa only knew of one rebel who was a magic fighter: Wufei.

As soon as he could, Trowa headed for the dungeon and walked through the cells, looking for his friend. Sure enough, in one of the smaller ones was Wufei, lying on the floor, his eyes closed and a huge bruise on his face. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, Trowa opened the cell door and walked inside. He kneeled next to Wufei and put a hand on his shoulder. "Wufei, can you hear me?"

Wufei opened his eyes and moved himself slowly into a sitting position. "I'm not deaf, Trowa." He flinched as he moved his hand to his clothes. He retrieved a dagger and handed it to Trowa. "Duo says to use it to cut through the metal of the collar."

Trowa took the dagger and hid it in his clothes. "How is he?"

"Unconscious. Sally was treating him when I left." Wufei flexed his wrist experimentally, wincing slightly with the movement. "Heero wouldn't leave his side."

"So you came instead." Trowa bowed his head slightly, showing his gratitude. He offered a hand to Wufei. "Come, I'm getting you out."

Wufei shook his head. "You can't. Not yet. Heero says that the empath might need some time to adjust after you take the collar off." He leaned back on the wall and closed his eyes. "You'll need to take care of him and be sure he's ready. I'll be here when the time is right."

Trowa promised to come back later with some food, and left Wufei's cell. Wufei had taken a huge risk by letting himself get captured and by letting the guards suspect his powers. It assured that Trowa would hear of him and come to find him but it also meant that sooner or later the Sorceress would know that she had a magic fighter in her hands. She would try to make Wufei one of her followers, like she had done with many others. Trowa headed quickly to Quatre's cell. They didn't have any time to lose.

Quatre was lying on his back, looking at the ceiling when Trowa walked in. "Are you alright?" was the first thing out of Trowa's mouth.

Leaning on his elbows, Quatre looked at Trowa and smiled. "Yes. I was just thinking. There's not much to do in here, but since you came, I've had nice things to think about."

Showing the dagger to Quatre Trowa said, "A friend sent me this. It's enchanted." Trowa moved closer to Quatre and kissed him softly. "Sit up."

Quatre kept his eyes trained on Trowa, even when Trowa moved the dagger to Quatre's neck. The sincerity in Quatre's eyes said clearly that he trusted Trowa.

The collar wasn't tight and Trowa was able to slip two fingers between the collar and Quatre's neck. Quatre swallowed and Trowa felt the movement on Quatre's throat, pressing on his fingers. With his other hand Trowa brought the blade to the collar, just over his fingers. If he made a mistake he wouldn't be cutting Quatre's flesh. The dagger made a horrible screeching noise as Trowa pressed it to the collar. Quatre was shivering and Trowa noticed that his eyes were shut and his hands closed into tight fists. Trowa moved the dagger away. "What's wrong?"

A soft sigh escaped Quatre's lips. He didn't open his eyes. "It stings," he said. Trowa moved to pull his fingers away but Quatre's hand grabbed his wrist. "It's working. Don't stop."

Trowa nodded. He caressed Quatre's cheek before he pressed the blade to the collar again. He could feel the blade digging into the steel. The progress was slow but it was working. Now and then Trowa would hear Quatre wince over the loud screeching on the metal but he didn't stop. He had to keep going. Too much depended on it. Then, he felt a sting on the tips of his fingers and realized that he had cut himself. With a swift movement of his wrist Trowa pulled the dagger away. Quatre sighed. Trowa slipped his fingers from between the collar and Quatre's neck. There was a sharp red mark on Quatre's neck, just where Trowa's fingers had been. Somehow Quatre had felt Trowa cutting the collar and it was reflected on his skin.

"Did it work?" Quatre asked, his voice sounding a little shaky.

"Yes, but I still can't pull it out. I need to make another cut."

Closing his eyes Quatre nodded.

Trowa grabbed the other end of the collar and gave Quatre as small kiss. "I'll be as quick as I can," he said.

"I trust you," replied Quatre, still with his eyes closed.

Again the blade made a loud sound when Trowa started to cut the steel and again Quatre winced now and then. It took less time than before. When the dagger touched Trowa's fingers, he gently pulled the pieces apart, finally releasing Quatre.

Quatre's eyes flew open. He gasped loudly and collapsed in Trowa's arms.

* * *

**Day Nine**

Trowa had stayed with Quatre as long as he could. Quatre had stirred in his sleep, moving around and mumbling things Trowa didn't understand. He wouldn't wake up. Trowa had spent the night in Quatre's cell, watching helplessly as Quatre dreamed. In the morning, he had gone to work his shifts, guarding various places of the palace. All the time thoughts of Quatre invaded his head. Trowa was worried. He hadn't known what to expect when Quatre's magic was released but not being able to wake Quatre up or talk to him was making Trowa anxious.

On midday, after checking on Quatre and noticing that he was still sleeping, Trowa had gone to visit Wufei. He had brought his friend the promised food and was happy to see that Wufei was a lot better. He seemed stronger and the bruise in his face was fading. Like all the other magic fighters, Wufei healed faster than other people.

After Trowa told him about Quatre, Wufei had said that Heero had expected something like this to happen. Empathy and telepathy, while very different, shared the same basic traits. Heero could relate to what an empath would feel when his powers were returned after such a long time of being deprived of them. "It would be like standing in the path of a river," Wufei had said. "There's nothing to do but brace yourself for the impact and then learn to go with the flow."

The sun was starting to set by the time Trowa could return to Quatre's cell. He walked inside, not wanting to disturb Quatre if he was still resting, even though nothing seemed to be able to wake him up.

Surprisingly, Quatre was awake and waiting for him. He was smiling. Trowa had never seen him smile like that. His eyes were shining and if it was possible he was projecting happiness. Trowa didn't have time to say anything before Quatre hugged him, burying his head in Trowa's neck.

"I can feel you, Trowa. I can feel again."

Trowa returned Quatre's embrace. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Quatre whispered. "Better than I've been in a long time."

"Then, it's time to go, Quatre. It's time for you to be free."

Quatre leaned back and looked at Trowa. "There's something I need to do first." His expression was serious and Trowa could see the determination in his face. "We need to destroy the remaining potions, and I need to face Dorothy."

"No one has faced her and lived," Trowa said, already knowing that he wouldn't be able to stop Quatre.

With a little smile, Quatre said, "No one knows her like I do."

Trowa nodded and took Quatre's hand. He held his breath as they walked through the threshold hoping that with the door gone, Quatre would be able to pass.

Quatre had no problems, and with a small smile that couldn't be seen in the dark corridor, Trowa guided him to the entrance of the secret passage. He didn't give Quatre time to look around and just pulled him towards Wufei's cell.

While Trowa unlocked the door Quatre looked at Wufei and then asked, "Is this one of your friends, Trowa?" When Trowa nodded Quatre bowed his head. "Thank you," he said to Wufei.

"Any friend of Trowa is a friend of mine," Wufei replied.

There was no time for long introductions. When the door was opened, the three of them hurried out of the dungeon and headed upstairs, to find the Sorceress. For some bizarre reason all the guards they encountered in their way either ignored them or were fast asleep. It took Trowa a while to notice that Quatre frowned every time a guard was near. "What are you doing?"

Quatre smiled. "I'm making them feel indifference or exhaustion. They are under Dorothy's influence, the whole palace is. It's not their fault."

If Trowa had any doubts of Quatre's powers they were dissipated then. They had passed at least fifteen guards and Quatre didn't look tired or dizzy at all. Heero was a very strong telepath but even he couldn't project so many thoughts to so many people in such a short amount of time without draining himself. Trowa had completed his mission. He had found the Sorceress' greatest strength, and now that Quatre was free he had become her greatest opponent.

They stopped when they reached the closed doors of the throne room. "Stay behind me," said Quatre simply before the doors opened without him pushing them.

The Sorceress and the King were there with just a few guards by their side. The Sorceress stood up quickly, surprise and anger clearly visible in her eyes. She looked at the guards beside her who didn't seem to notice the commotion.

"This is impossible!" she snarled and glided towards them. A ball of raw magic shot from her hand, and headed straight for Quatre, but it exploded in mid air.

"You might be more powerful than me with magic attacks, Dorothy, but you know that that isn't enough to defeat me." Quatre's voice was hard and cold, but Trowa heard a hint of sadness there.

The Sorceress' eyes were becoming red. She focused them on Trowa. "You let him out. You'll die." Suddenly she was in front of him, her eyes glowing furiously and a ball of magic forming in her hand. Trowa tried to move back but he couldn't. Her stare had frozen his limbs and he was vulnerable.

Then, the glow disappeared from the Sorceress' eyes and they became cold blue again.

"You won't hurt him," Quatre said, walking around the Sorceress to put a hand on Trowa's shoulders. He was glowing slightly, with a blue light that reminded Trowa of the crystal the Sorceress had carried out of Quatre's cell that first day.

The Sorceress was looking at Quatre, mesmerized. "In fact, Dorothy," he continued, "You won't use magic ever again."

"You can't do this to me." The Sorceress' voice was deceptively calm. "You vowed never to project permanent emotions."

Quatre's eyes were sad. "You forced me, Dorothy. I can't allow you to hurt more people."

The Sorceress blinked and suddenly the rage was in her eyes again, but this time they didn't glow or become red. "You are a hypocrite, Quatre Winner." Her words were filled with hate. "There is no difference between you and me. You are abusing your powers, just like I did. You are no better than me."

Trowa opened his mouth to deny the Sorceress' accusations but Quatre spoke first. "Maybe we are the same, Dorothy, but I've done what's needed."

The Sorceress screamed and brought her hand back for an attack but no ball of magic materialized.

"It's no use, Dorothy. I've sealed your powers." Quatre then turned to Wufei. "Would you take care of the King? Dorothy's potions don't last very long on him. After it wears off, he should recover his will."

Wufei nodded and walked to the throne. The King hadn't moved from his place and had been looking at the scene in front of him with detachment. Wufei helped the King up and they left through one of the side doors, probably going to the King's chambers so he could get some rest.

"The guards will take you into custody," Quatre explained to the Sorceress. "When the King gets better he will make a decision."

The guards, who had been watching impassibly, approached them and took a hold of the Sorceress' arms. "Please make sure she doesn't go anywhere," Quatre said. The guards nodded and escorted the Sorceress out.

The Sorceress screamed something but Trowa didn't hear her. She was no longer his concern. Quatre exhaled and smiled at Trowa. "The kingdom is free."

* * *

**Day Ten**

King Milliardo had recuperated in only a few hours. He had slept and when he had woken up he was himself again. He remembered what Dorothy had made him do but he had recovered his will, and instead of lamenting, he was determined to return the life to his kingdom. The guards, as well as all the workers in the castle, were freed from the Sorceress' spell.

The moment the news about the King's recovery left the castle there was joy in the city. The people went to the streets to celebrate, singing, drinking and dancing. Trowa had watched it all from the tower, and had also seen the Princess and Lady Lucrezia's arrival to the palace. The King had welcomed them with open arms. With them, was Meiran. Trowa had watched her reunion with Wufei with a smile.

A while later, Duo and Heero arrived at the palace. Duo was still feeling a little dizzy but he was more cheerful than anyone and didn't miss a chance to tell how he had helped to bring the King back into power.

Entering the Sorceress' chambers was something no one had ever accomplished, but with her powers sealed, the spells protecting her room were gone. Quatre had destroyed the remaining potions in the Sorceress' chambers along with all her magical possessions. He had said they were too dangerous to be left lying around. Quatre still hadn't talked to the King, and he had said that he would present himself to the King when the Sorceress was summoned. For some reason, Quatre believed that he should be judged by the King as well since he had helped the Sorceress.

Trowa had tried to tell Quatre that he had been forced to do what he did but Quatre would hear none of it. He felt guilty for what the Sorceress had done with his magic and he was prepared to face the consequences.

They didn't have to wait long for the Sorceress' audience. The King was feeling better and he wanted to start rebuilding the kingdom as soon as possible, and the first step was dealing with the Sorceress.

The court was filled with many nobles and even some commoners who had been selected randomly from the street to watch the sentencing. Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, Meiran, Heero and Duo were there. They were standing at the side. The door opened and the Sorceress walked in, escorted by two guards. She was wearing the same dress as the day before but her hair was tangled and her hands were shackled. She walked towards the King with her head held high and a defiant look in her face.

When she walked by Trowa and his friends, Quatre moved forward. Before Trowa could stop him, Quatre was being stopped by a guard for interrupting the sentencing. "I believe I need to be sentenced too," he said in a firm voice.

The guard gave him a puzzled look and then the King intervened. "Walk forward and explain your case."

Quatre approached the throne, stopping at the appropriate distance and giving the King, Lady Lucrezia, and the Princess, a bow. "Dorothy is appearing before you today to be sentenced for the crimes she committed against the King and the kingdom. I come because I aided her and to plead, if your highness permits it, for Dorothy's life."

The room was filled with murmurs. Trowa couldn't believe Quatre was asking for mercy for the woman who had locked him up and tortured him for so long. Moving between the crowd, using his ability to slip unnoticed, Trowa got closer to Quatre, until he was just a few feet away from him, while still hiding behind the other spectators.

"What's your name?" asked the King.

"Quatre Raberba Winner."

More whispering followed those words and the King had to lift a hand for the crowd to quiet down. "I was informed that you defeated the Sorceress and released me from her spell. Was I lied to?"

"No, your highness," answered Quatre. "However, I also aided Dorothy in taking control of your highness' mind."

"You didn't help her, Quatre, she captured you and tortured you to get what she wanted. It wasn't your fault." Trowa had walked forward, standing beside Quatre. All the eyes on the room were on him but Trowa didn't care, he just cared for Quatre at the moment, the rest didn't matter.

"What's your name?" The King asked Trowa.

"Trowa Barton."

The King nodded. "You are part of the resistance and were sent to infiltrate the palace and gather information on the Sorceress." The last word was spoken with disdain.

Trowa didn't wonder where the King had gotten his information. He just took a step forward and spoke. He told the court how he had found Quatre and what he had learned from him. He explained how Quatre had been used by the Sorceress against his will, and finally he told how he had helped Quatre escape and how Quatre had stopped the Sorceress with no aid.

The King hadn't interrupted him once and waited for Trowa to finish before he spoke. "The both of you," he said looking at Quatre and Trowa, "as well as your friends have provided a great service to the kingdom and for that you should be rewarded." He fixed his gaze on Quatre. "Lord Winner, you are as guilty of the crimes you claim as I am for what the Sorceress did to the kingdom while I was under her spells." His expression softened a bit. "If the kingdom has found a way to forgive me, then you must find a way to forgive yourself. To me and to the kingdom you committed no fault."

A loud applause was heard. Trowa had to resist the urge to make himself blend with the shadows. Beside him, Quatre's head was high but his eyes were downcast.

The King held up a hand and the applause died down. "Lord Winner, because you've earned my favor and my respect, I will allow you to plead the Sorceress' case, but have no illusions, the punishment will be severe."

"I'd rather be burnt alive than have him speak for me!" the Sorceress said. She hadn't spoken a word during the whole procedure but apparently the idea of having Quatre defending her was enough to make her protest.

"That can be arranged," replied the King, calmly.

"Your highness," said Quatre. "Regardless of Dorothy's feelings towards me I would like to plead the court for her life. I know how much her actions have crippled the kingdom and I'm aware of the hurt she has caused so many people. However, she's no longer a threat. I've sealed her powers for life. She's harmless now. Would a court condemn a harmless woman to her death?"

Quatre's words were met with silence. The King delivered for a moment before he asked, "Can this seal be undone?"

"Not unless it's undone by me," Quatre replied.

"Your powers exceed those of the Sorceress," the King observed. "If you wanted, you cold take over this court more easily than she did."

Trowa held his breath. He didn't like where this was going.

"I could," replied Quatre truthfully. "But I won't. If the court doesn't trust my word, they can do as they see fit with me."

The Princess whispered something in the King's ear and the King nodded. "I believe you," he said to Quatre softly. Then he turned hard eyes to the Sorceress. "I've made my decision. For the crimes committed against the kingdom, Dorothy Catalonia shall be banished from the land, and is never to step on Sank's soil again." He made a gesture with his hand and the Sorceress was escorted out. She gave Quatre one last glare before the doors of the court room closed behind her.

The court dispersed after the King dismissed them and retired, probably to catch up with his sister and fiancé. They had been informed that they would always be well received in the palace and that the King would take care of any needs they had. Quatre and Trowa left the palace, followed by Heero and Duo. Wufei would be staying with his wife.

Duo and Heero returned to the house quickly, so Duo could get some rest since he hadn't recovered all his energy yet.

Trowa and Quatre stood in the middle of the town square. Quatre was looking up at the sky and Trowa was looking at Quatre.

"I had forgotten how beautiful it is," Quatre said.

Trowa watched the way Quatre looked under the sunlight, the way his hair shone and his eyes sparkled. "It is too beautiful to be forgotten."

They shared a kiss, their first one under the sky, but certainly not the last.

* * *

\- The End -


End file.
